Granularity is an objective measure of the extent to which silver halide grains have clumped together within a photographic emulsion. It reflects the texture and visual density of the developed image.
High granularity indicates larger or more tightly clumped grains, which can reduce image sharpness but may add artistic texture, while low granularity produces smoother, more detailed images. Understanding granularity helps photographers and darkroom technicians control film choice, development techniques, and printing methods for the desired image quality.